IPL 2025: Buttler’s Unbeaten 73 Powers GT Past RCB After Siraj and Sai Kishore Set the Stage

Mohammed Siraj’s electrifying 3 for 19 against his former franchise, coupled with Jos Buttler’s explosive unbeaten 73 off 39 balls, powered Gujarat Titans (GT) to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, spoiling the hosts’ much-anticipated homecoming.

Facing RCB for the first time since leaving the franchise after seven years, Siraj returned with a point to prove. Hitting speeds over 140kph, he dismantled the top order in the powerplay before striking again at the death. Despite his disciplined spell, RCB managed 169 for 8, largely thanks to Liam Livingstone’s half-century and crucial cameos from Jitesh Sharma and Tim David.

RCB’s Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept things tight with the new ball, but as the innings progressed, their bowling lost its bite. Though Shubman Gill fell early, Sai Sudharsan and Buttler built a rapid 75-run stand off 48 balls to drive the chase forward. Sherfane Rutherford, introduced as an Impact Sub, then partnered with Buttler in an unbroken 63-run stand off just 32 balls, sealing GT’s win with 13 deliveries to spare.

This marked GT’s second victory in three matches, while RCB suffered their first defeat of IPL 2025 after starting the season with two impressive wins.

Siraj’s Fiery Spell Silences Chinnaswamy

For seven years, Mohammed Siraj’s siuuu celebration at the Chinnaswamy Stadium was met with deafening cheers. But on Wednesday, donning Gujarat Titans’ (GT) jersey, his signature celebration was met with stunned silence. Released by RCB ahead of the season, Siraj had a point to prove—and he did so emphatically.

His powerplay spell was nothing short of sensational. Clocking speeds in the mid-140s, Siraj combined raw pace with pinpoint accuracy. As per ESPNcricinfo’s data, six of his 18 powerplay deliveries landed on a good length, yielding two wickets. More impressively, eight deliveries were aimed at the stumps, leaving batters with little room to maneuver. Their control percentage against him stood at a mere 50%.

Siraj could have dismissed Phil Salt in his first over, but Jos Buttler dropped a straightforward catch behind the stumps. However, he soon made amends, rattling Devdutt Padikkal’s stumps as the batter charged down recklessly. In his next over, Salt launched a monstrous 105-meter six off Siraj, but the pacer had the last laugh, castling Salt with a 145.9kph thunderbolt.

Returning in the 19th over, Siraj delivered another crucial blow, removing Liam Livingstone to cap off a stellar spell. He finished with remarkable figures of 3 for 19, including 14 dot balls—an outstanding performance in what turned out to be a bittersweet homecoming for Bengaluru’s own Miyan bhai, this time against his former team.

Livingstone, Jitesh, and David Rescue RCB from Collapse

At 42 for 4 in 6.2 overs, RCB found themselves in deep trouble. Rajat Patidar had just edged one to the keeper off Ishant Sharma, leaving the Chinnaswamy crowd stunned. But Jitesh Sharma wasted no time in counterattacking. He signaled his intent with a stylish pull off Ishant before shifting gears. A flicked six over long-on and two crisp boundaries off the same bowler helped RCB take 17 runs from the ninth over.

At the other end, Liam Livingstone struggled initially but found his rhythm with a powerful slog-sweep off Rashid Khan. He rode his luck, surviving two dropped catches and a missed stumping, yet made his presence count. After Jitesh and Krunal Pandya fell in quick succession—both dismissed by R Sai Kishore—Livingstone took charge.

He broke the shackles with a towering six over midwicket off Rashid, while Tim David joined the party with a six and a four. However, RCB were still struggling at 129 for 6 after 17 overs. Then came the game-changing moment—Livingstone launched Rashid for three massive sixes in the 18th over, bringing up his fifty off 39 balls. In total, he smashed 39 runs off 17 balls against Rashid, clearing the ropes five times.

RCB piled on 64 runs in the final five overs, thanks largely to David’s late onslaught of 32 off 18 balls. Yet, their total of 169 still felt underwhelming at the midway mark.

Buttler and Sudharsan Steer GT to a Commanding Victory

Jos Buttler entered IPL 2025 under immense scrutiny. He had recently stepped down as England’s ODI captain following a disastrous Champions Trophy campaign and was struggling for form. Adding to the challenge, he moved to a new IPL team after flourishing with Rajasthan Royals and was now batting at No. 3 instead of his usual opening role.

Yet, in just three innings, Buttler has shown that nothing has changed. His record against RCB since IPL 2022—featuring scores of 70*, 8, 106*, 0, 0, and 100*—already spoke volumes. On Wednesday, he reinforced his dominance once again.

GT’s chase started with a few jitters as Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled with precision, making run-scoring difficult. Shubman Gill tried to break free with a six over long-on off Bhuvneshwar but was dismissed the very next ball, caught at deep third. At that point, GT were 32 for 1 in 4.4 overs.

Buttler, the next man in, initially took a cautious approach, reaching just 5 off 8 balls. However, he soon found his rhythm, targeting Rasikh Salam and smashing 27 runs off just 12 deliveries to get into full flow.

At the other end, Sai Sudharsan played a vital role, anchoring the innings with a fluent 49 off 36 balls. The duo added a crucial 75-run second-wicket partnership, stabilizing GT’s chase. Once Sudharsan fell, Buttler shifted gears further, racing to his half-century off 31 balls.

Sherfane Rutherford, coming in at No. 4, provided the final push, ensuring GT completed their chase with ease. Their quick scoring not only secured an eight-wicket win but also significantly boosted GT’s net run rate.

For RCB, the loss proved costly as they slipped to third place in the points table, trailing Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.

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